


divine providence

by heonied



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Angst, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Mild Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-07-31 10:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20113531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heonied/pseuds/heonied
Summary: minhyuk would rebuild the world a thousand times over until he found a reality in which changkyun was happy.





	1. the student

**Author's Note:**

> _each chapter is a different story, a different time, and a different love._

_[st. eugene public high school,_  
_march 23rd, 1987]_

minhyuk stands in the middle of the hallway as students walk by him in flocks. your typical school cliques so easy to distinguish among them: the mean girls, cheerleaders, the hipsters and the nerds, the jocks and the heartthrobs. a true american cliché. he tucks a lock of black hair heavily covered in hairspray behind his ear and smiles. this should be fun. 

as the class gathers outside room 17, mathematics lab, a few of them send him curious and not so discreet looks. a group of three girls standing next to the wall keep looking his way as they whisper, and each time he looks at them their cheeks turn a new shade of pink. he runs a hand trough his hair as he leans against the wall and hears one of the girls gasp. a short blonde holding a stack of books, she instinctively hides behind one of her friends. 

minhyuk can't help a smirk appearing on his face. 'hi ladies.' he says softly and the girls giggle, ecstatic from receiving attention from the new mysterious arrival. 

and oh how entertaining it is to watch these girls stumble and stutter, their lives in this town so boring that minhyuk's appearance must mark one of the bigger events this school has seen in the last year. what a simple, beautiful world he has created. 

minhyuk lets the girls go in before him as the teacher finally opens the classroom doors, watching the students take their seats before scouting out which one is left free for him. 

he almost doesn't recognise him in all the commotion, despite looking out for him from the moment he appeared in the school that morning. the boy has his back turned towards him, as he leans over the teacher's desk. minhyuk takes a seat in the second row, right next to the shy little blonde he teased outside the classroom. she smiles at him softly but he does not pursue. 

all the students slowly settle in their seats, the room swallowed in lively chatter as well as loud sighs and complaining. not all are so passionate about mathematics as he is, it seems. the last student finishes talking to the teacher and makes his way towards a desk in the front row, being the last one to sit down. 

minhyuk watches the back of his head, light brown curls covering it, bouncy and shiny in the morning light. the boy twitches slightly and turns his head to look behind him. their eyes meet and minhyuk doesn't even try to hide the fact that he's staring. the boy spares him only a second before awkwardly straightening up and focusing his attention on the front of the classroom. his hands quietly search around in his bag and minhyuk tilts his head with curiousity, watches as he pulls out bronze framed glasses and slowly puts them on. minhyuk can't help the little chuckle that escapes his mouth. 

'_silence!_' the teacher calls out in a surprisingly deep and commanding voice for her small posture. the chatter dies out, although not immediately.

'before we get into the lesson, please take a moment to welcome our new classmate.' she looks at minhyuk who straightens out his leather jacket as the heads turn to look at him and judge for themselves. 'mr. lee, please come up. introduce yourself.' 

minhyuk stands up immediately and walks up to the front of the class. 

'thank you, mrs. marshall.' he bows politely at the teacher who seems quite surprised at the gesture. 

the class watches him dilligently. 

'my name is lee minhyuk.' he says with a smile, as his eyes focus on the front row. 'i have moved to the town just last week, and i sincerely look forward to finishing high school with all of you.' 

'yes, since it is just three months until your final exams-' mrs. marshall interrupts him 'i expect all of you to give your new friend a warm and helpful welcome. you are not children anymore, for lord's sake.' it feels like she targets that at a few individuals in the classroom who giggle quietly. 

'that is so kind of you, mrs. marshall.' minhyuk charms the teacher and it surprisingly works all so well. 

'of course, minhyuk. if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask me.' she clears her throat and after returning minhyuk to his seat, her smile immediately turns into an expression you would usually expect to see at a tired middle aged teacher's face.

'well isn't someone doing well on his first day.' a girl whispers to him as he walks back to his seat. 

'first impressions are everything.' he says and sits back in his chair, quite satisfied. the girl watches him amused, as she instinctively fixes her hairstyle. 

'as the last test has proved, the majority of you have done zero revision on the most recent topics we have went over.' the teacher paces behind her desk. 'so i have decided to assign you a group project.' 

a disappointed murmur swipes across the class. 'and no, you will not be choosing your own partners.' now that even earns her some verbal disapproval. 

minhyuk watches as the teacher walks down the aisles with a small box filled with folded papers. he puts his hand in, his head scanning quickly for a suitable number. he decides to go with seven. too unoriginal? of course, but it feels like that's what this whole world relies on so he might as well play along. 

the teacher continues down to the back of the class and again to the front. minhyuk watches as the boy in glasses takes a paper and quickly glances at the number. 

the class continues. until the last ten minutes when they are allowed to find their partners. minhyuk sits back as all the students get up and walk around. he sees the boy from the first row look around the class and walk up to a couple of people as well, before he slowly stands up and walks towards him. 

minhyuk leans on the desk next to him and holds his crumbled paper in front of his chest. 

'seven?' he asks sweetly and the boy stops in front of him, adjusts his glasses that were falling off his nose and answers in a deep, yet quiet voice.

'yeah. seven.'

'wonderful. i'm minhyuk.'

'changkyun.' he nods.

_*_

'may i help you?'

minhyuk smiles sweetly and bows politely. 

'mrs. im, i take it. it's such a pleasure to meet you.' the woman eyes him carefully, holding the door half open in front of her 'i am changkyun's classmate. here to work on that math project with him.'

she doesn't say anything and minhyuk quickly continues with his show. 

'oh, has he not told you?' he shakes his head 'must have slipped his mind. is he inside?'

'he is.' she opens the door wider and he takes a quick peek inside. 

the house is just what you would expect from a suburban upper class family in this decade. he can see into the kitchen from where he's standing, past the big stairwell on the right side of the hallway, and hears the distant sound of a television from the living room next to it. 

'let me just go and get him.' she finally breaks through and smiles at him 'do come in.' 

and then she yells out her son's name, directing her voice towards the stairs. 

'such a lovely house you have, mrs. im.' minhyuk compliments with grace as he looks around the interior. in truth, he is entirely not impressed. 'i absolutely adore the decor.'

she lets it show the boy's charms are working and smiles sweetly. 'why thank you, darling.' she seems to ponder on something for a while before turning her attention back towards minhyuk. 'changkyunie doesn't invite friends over often. will you be staying for dinner?'

'i would love to.' minhyuk replies cheerfully as the stairwell next to him starts creaking.

'there you are.' changkyun's mother turns towards him, but he has stopped on the second to last step and confusion has starts to grow on his face as he looks at minhyuk standing there in front of him.

and he made sure to be a nice sight. tightly fitted jeans that showed off his better features, white shirt soaked in the sweetest scent of changkyun's favourite cologne, an expensive denim jacket and hair styled to perfection. irresistible, he would describe himself, while someone else could say he wasn't playing fair. but this wasn't his first time doing this, and it's only natural that he makes things easier for himself from time to time. 

the person he came here for however, clearly didn't expect any visitors this evening. he isn't wearing his glasses, and his hair is ruffled in the prettiest way. minhyuk is definitely not disappointed.

changkyun is staring at him a little bit too wide eyed and his mother seems to have expected a different reaction from the boy as well. 

'changkyun? where are your manners?'

the boy looks at her with furrowed eyebrows before licking his lips in panic and turning back towards minhyuk.

'hello.' he starts slowly, clearing his throat 'i wasn't aware you would come by. is there anything you need?' 

before minhyuk gets a chance to invite himself into changkyun's bedroom, the boy's mother interrupts. 

'your friend-' she begins and quickly eyes the visitor realising she forgot to even ask his name.

'minhyuk.' the visitor indulges her and she smiles sweetly at him.

'_minhyuk_, came by to work on your project for school. what was it?'

'mathematics, ma'am.' he replies quickly.

'right. so stop standing around and invite him upstairs before your father starts wondering what the commotion is about.' she commands him quickly and minhyuk watches his every reaction. the way he just stiffly stands on the stairs and listens dilligently, his body showing clear signs of discomfort.

'yes, mom.' 

'i will call you when dinner is ready.' 

changkyun turns around and expects minhyuk to follow him upstairs, and the boy does so, of course. when they are high enough to be out of hearing range, only then does his host speak up.

'you should have asked me before coming over.' his voice is cold, clearly not bothering with any pleasantries anymore. 

'i'm really sorry.' minhyuk replies as they walk through a door that he can only assume leads to changkyun's room. 

and it's so much more humble than what he's seen downstairs. a single bed, a very stuffed desk surrounded by tall bookshelves filled to the brim with comics, books and other belongings that should probably be in a locker instead of a bookshelf. but it already told him so much. 

and now the rest of the game begins. he likes to call it investigation.

_*_

minhyuk had met with changkyun a couple more times the following days. the first night should have been regarded as a failure, with changkyun's hostile attitude towards him that he deserved nevertheless, but in the end he charmed his way even through that. after that they met up at school, during their breaks and after classes. minhyuk also made sure that changkyun did not eat his lunch alone anymore. 

the boy is lonely. he could tell from the moment he saw him in the classroom for the first time. he focuses on school and studying to make up for it, or for whatever it is that his parents seem to demand from him. but in the end, this changkyun does not seem happy. 

minhyuk has found ways to make him smile. it seems playing silly and charming him is enough to get him to blush quite often and for his lips to shoot up even a tiny bit. he even managed to hear his laugh around three times so far. just as goofy as always. 

'welcome to my humble abode.' minhyuk opens the door ostentatiously and changkyun smiles as he walks in. 

'it's not that bad.' he shruggs. 

'why thank you, sir.' minhyuk takes an exaggerated bow 'although this could never satisfy your tastes, if you just wait in the living room i shall bring you a plate of fresh fruit and prepare a steaming hot bath in the meantime.' 

changkyun rolls his eyes but can't keep himself from smiling. 'i'd love that, actually.' he says not looking into minhyuk's eyes but scanning the house instead.

'i will keep that in mind.'

minhyuk sees his guest look into the living room and answers his question before it is asked.

'the house is empty. parents are working.' changkyun nods and minhyuk bites his tongue slightly, knowing that's not true. he was never one for _parents_. he couldn't imagine having someone else around he was supposed to care about and pretend to love. he prefers to focus his attention on more important things. 

they sit down on the leather couch in minhyuk's living room, the tv slowly turning on to fill in the silence in the background. 

'where are your books?' changkyun asks as he looks around the room. 

minhyuk stares right into his eyes with what could be read as a slightly amused expression. in truth it is simply fondness. 

'i don't have any.'

changkyun furrows his eyebrows. 'you told me not to bring mine-'

'we don't need them.'

'umm, pretty sure we do.' changkyun argues. 'i don't have every math equation on earth memorised just yet.' 

minhyuk does.

'i'm sure you will get there one day. i believe in you.' he winks and changkyun bites his lower lip quickly before rolling his eyes to express his annoyance. 

minhyuk sits there with his legs crossed, facing changkyun on one side of the couch while the other boy has his back straightened against the seat, as if he was ready to stand up and leave at any moment. 

'so...?' changkyun awkwardly nudges minhyuk to do anything, and the man realises he had been silently staring for the last minute and changkyun is visibly uncomfortable at that point. 

'right.' he gets back into his role and smiles confidently.

'i just thought...' he moves towards changkyun to shorten the distance between them. 'we could take some time to hang out today. the project is almost done...'

'yeah, if you want a c.' changkyun scoffs. 

'and we want...?'

'an a. we want an a, minhyuk.'

'a's just a letter.'

'it's a grade, actually. please take this seriously.'

minhyuk pauses. 'why do you care so much about grades?'

'i just do.' changkyun murmurs.

minhyuk doesn't answer and the other boy finally lifts his eyes up to see why. they just stare at each other before changkyun sighs. 

'fine. my parents want me to do well in school. so i do. happy?'

'are you?'

changkyun looks up again. 'what?'

'are you happy, changkyunnie?'

he looks confused but minhyuk doesn't care at all. he shakes his head.

'i'm sorry this world isn't good to you.' 

changkyun looks at him and his lower lip trembles for a second before he catches it with his teeth. he blinks away the water forming in his eyes. 

'don't be dumb.' he laughs, but it's forced.

minhyuk puts his hand on top of changkyun's and squeezes lightly. 

'tomorrow will be better. i promise.'

changkyun says nothing, just stares at him trying to understand where all of this is coming from. how they ended up with him on the verge of tears, holding minhyuk's hand on his warn out couch. 

minhyuk brings his hand up to changkyun's face and gently tucks a strand of hair behind his ear, only to bring his hand to his cheek and softly pet it afterwards.

'i will make it better.'


	2. the stranger

_[the backdoor night club, _  
_ 2nd august 2016]_

changkyun's hair is a bright blonde, his roots recently dyed and a different shade than the rest. it doesn't bother him.

this changkyun has a piercing. several, actually, a couple in his ears but the one in his eyebrow more noticable than the others. and minhyuk finds it so hot. 

minhyuk traces his mouth down the side of changkyun's neck, eyes closed, trying to fully taste the way his skin feels on his lips. he bites down lightly right below his jawline and changkyun lets out a small giggle, barely audible through the music filling the club. 

his hands travel up and down changkyun's back, from his shoulders to his sides and hips, slipping underneath his shirt to feel the burning of the heated body on top of his lap. and he's greedy, oh, so greedy with the way he touches him. his mind is hazy but it's clear to him he's missed touching changkyun, missed the undeniable connection their bodies have. missed the changkyun that opens himself up to him, that allows them to become one together. 

the boy stumbles a bit, eyes glowing and distant from all the alcohol but he seems to be on a mission and minhyuk doesn't interrupt. he trusts changkyun will stay. the boy gets up from where he was sat on minhyuk's lap with legs resting on the couch and spreads them instead to climb on top of him. 

minhyuk lets his head fall back as changkyun gets closer and closer to his face, eyes hungry as if he missed minhyuk just as much as minhyuk missed him. he knows it's not possible, but some part of him still believes.

'_you're so hot._' changkyun mumbles in his ear, breath hotter than the air around them already is. 

'funny, i was going to say the same thing about you.' he yells in hopes of the boy hearing him over the music.

changkyun's hands are travelling all over his chest, gripping at his shirt and twisting it without any purpose.

'you think i'm hot?' he asks surprised, as if it was the first time anyone told him that. 

'i think you're _really._ _fucking. hot_.' changkyun smiles so proudly it makes minhyuk never want to stop complimenting him, even though he is being nowhere near eloquent with his words.

he grabs the boy by the back of his neck and pulls him down closer, their foreheads almost touching. 

'in fact, i think you are so fucking hot, i wanted you in my lap from the moment i saw you on the dancefloor.' he continues and changkyun stares him right in the eye, smirking uncontrollably 'and now...'

'and now?' changkyun hums.

'i want you in so many different ways.' 

he giggles again and falls into minhyuk's arms, almost cutting off his breath. 

'then come and get me.' he whispers right into minhyuk's ear, seducing despite his drunken state. 

changkyun stumbles as he gets up and turns around, throwing minhyuk a glance over his shoulder encouraging him to follow. 

he squeezes through the crowd of people gathered on the dancefloor, minhyuk struggling to follow after the boy. 

_baby~_

changkyun stops somewhere in the middle of the dancefloor, squeezed between a crowd of swaying people with drinks in their hands and way too many of them shirtless. 

_i'm wasted~_

he smiles at minhyuk as he reaches out to grab his hand and brings their bodies closer together. 

_all i wanna do is drive home to you, baby~_

minhyuk likes watching him like this. it's fun trying to get him to notice and like him, watching as he falls for him slowly, but it's so much more entertaining to have him already wrapped around his finger. 

_i'm faded~_

changkyun's hands grab at minhyuk's collar and open his shirt further, while his hips sway to the music. the flashing lights make the situation so much more surreal, and his eyes have a hard time focusing on one part of changkyun, when all of him is so gorgeous.

_all i wanna do is take you downtown, baby.~_

the boy's hands travel down minhyuk's torso and all he can do is lean down and nibble at changkyun's neck again, if only to stop himself from drunkenly confessing his love. changkyun throws his hands over minhyuk's neck and they are completely engulfed in an embrace, letting themselves become one with the music and each other. 

they dance through another song, and then another and another until minhyuk completely loses track of time. they're both sweaty and breathing heavily by the time changkyun takes a step back and announces he needs to go to the toilet.

'don't go anywhere.' changkyun winks, his hand still playing with the edges of minhyuk's shirt. 

'i'll be at the bar.' 

minhyuk leans against the counter and feels his head spin lightly. and what an amazing feeling it is. he truly understands why this generation is so obsessed with drinking and partying now. from the moment he appeared in the club, it felt like the world outside ceased to exist. it's only the loud music, flashing lights and the way changkyun looks so ridiculously good in this simple black t-shirt. nothing else matters. 

he orders them another round of drinks and downs a shot of tequila as he waits for them to be served. someone slams into the counter to his left, he turns around only to see a couple feverishly making out just a few inches away from him. he laughs to himself and lets them be, and they seem to leave just as quickly as they appeared, one of the girls breaking the kiss and leading the other one back into the crowd. he follows them with his eyes, amused, only to look back and see someone staring at him from across the bar. 

the smile disappears from his face as their eyes meet and the man stands up to change to the seat right next to him. minhyuk's drinks are served, and his new neighbour calls for the bartender and orders himself one too. 

'what are you doing here?' minhyuk asks coldly not sparing the man another look.

'watching.'

minhyuk scoffs. 

'what are you doing?' 

'i'm trying to have fun.' minhyuk takes a sip of his drink 'you should try it too.'

'you're getting sloppy.' the man comments with disapproval 'your fixation on that boy is blinding you.' 

'i don't see how that's any of your business.'

'it is, ever since you stopped doing your job properly.' the man hissed back. 'you can't go creating another reality every time you fuck up or get bored with the last one.' he turns to look minhyuk in the eye.

'i see you're not impressed by my creativity.'

'your creativity focuses entirely on him, while the rest of this world suffers.' 

minhyuk finally puts his drink down and looks into the man's eyes. he's furious he even dared to interrupt him here, not to mention question him out of nowhere. 

before he can reply he feels a hand grab at his side. 

'who's this?' changkyun asks as his arm wraps around minhyuk's back. 

minhyuk licks his lips, turning to face the man sat next to him and smiling bitterly. 

'this is kihyun.' he announces loudly as changkyun sways by his side. 'an old friend.' 

'hi.' the boy offers a smile to the stranger, but his eyes remain vigilant. 

minhyuk stands up and grabs their drinks, handing changkyun his. he gestures for them to go, leaving kihyun behind without another word. 

_*_

the cab drops them off at the hotel, and minhyuk collects their keys as changkyun admires the building's interior with clouded eyes. 

minhyuk takes off his jacket and drops it to the floor, before changkyun's arms push him against the wall and their lips sloppily connect again. minhyuk wraps his arms around the boy's waist, as changkyun's hands pull at his hair. he relishes in the kiss, even though changkyun tastes solely of alcohol and cigarettes. his perfume has worn off too from all the dancing and rubbing on sweaty people all night, but he doesn't mind. 

minhyuk interrupts the kiss, pulling the boy's head away from his. changkyun's eyes hazily scan his face, focusing on his lips and nothing else.

'you still haven't told me your name.' minhyuk breathes heavily, playing with changkyun's hair to keep them locked in the moment. 

'isn't it more fun this way?' chankyun answers dismissively.

'i told you mine.' 

'that's your mistake.' changkyun laughs and pulls away, slowly walking towards the bed and stumbling as he tries to take off his shoes. 

minhyuk takes a deep breath and follows after, standing at the foot of the bed as changkyun crawls over to lean against the wall.

'what are you waiting for?' he teases 'thought you wanted to show me all the ways you want me in.' 

minhyuk chuckles and takes off his own shoes slowly. 

'you're a brave one.' he crawls on the bed until he's hovering over changkyun, lying motionless underneath him. 'you don't even know me.'

'you don't know me either, minhyuk.'

oh but he does. he knows him better than anyone ever could, knows all the aspects of his personality, knows exactly what he likes and how he likes it. despite that, every time they meet and every time he gets to see a new side of him, it's so intriguing and so fun to discover yet another new detail. 

changkyun's hands start unbuttoning minhyuk's shirt and the man just waits, watching him closely. changkyun looks at him for a moment before shifting slightly and less than gracefully taking his own shirt off. 

he lifts himself up and grabs minhyuk's shoulders, trying to kiss him but minhyuk just smirks and leans back out of his reach. changkyun's eyebrows furrow and he has the audacity to pout at that.

'tell me your name first.' minhyuk sayd calmly. 

changkyun scoffs. 'you're mean.' his hands fall back down on the bed without a purpose. minhyuk brings his own hand to pet changkyun's cheek gently.

'so?' 

'my name is jongsoo.' 

minhyuk tilts his head and chuckles. changkyun tries to get himself into a sitting position and closer to minhyuk's face again.

'you're lying.' minhyuk says confidently and it seems to stop changkyun in his tracks.

he scans minhyuk's face, probably not having expected to be called out.

'fine.' he rolls his eyes 'it's changkyun.'

'are you sure it's changkyun?'

'yes, i'm sure!' changkyun nods impatiently. 

'okay, changkyun.' minhyuk finally moves and leans back down, bringing his lips to changkyun's neck and slowly kissing down to his stomach. he feels the man tremble slightly underneath him. 

he looks up and lets changkyun catch up with his lips, kissing him with passion, both more sober now but equally greedy. minhyuk's hands fiddle with changkyun's belt as they separate. 

'the first way i want you, is naked.'


End file.
